Natural History
Natural History
A Double Sea Lily (Crinoid) Fossil Mural
Lot Closed
December 3, 07:31 PM GMT
Estimate
18,000 - 20,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
A Double Sea Lily (Crinoid) Fossil Mural
Seirocrinus subangularis
Early Jurassic (approx. 183 million years ago)
Posidonia Shale Formation, Holzmaden, Germany
Heads 11½ inches (29 cm) and 8 inches (20 cm). Shale rock plaque 59 by 31½ inches (150 x 80 cm). 135 pounds (61.2 kg).
This dark shale mural displays two Seirocrinus subangularis, highlighted by a subtle shimmer of pyritization, with the remains of other members of its colony gathered at its base. This fossil has been remounted on its original rock slab, and has a reinforced backing that is ready for wall mounting.
Not flora but fauna, ancient crinoids—also known as sea lilies or feather stars—belong to the phylum Echinodermata and are distantly related to today's starfish, brittle stars, and sea urchins. Their fossils are found all over the world, but the most beautifully well-preserved are those from the Posidonia shale beds of Holzmaden in Southern Germany.
The filter feeder, Seirocrinus subangularis, lived in great watery forests, where they swayed back and forth on the ocean floor nabbing microscopic particles on which to feed. However, in rare instances like the one captured here, these serpentine-necked sea lilies would instead attach themselves to pieces of driftwood and float through the water unencumbered by sessility.